What's My Name?

My Promise To You

The drive on the way home was quiet. It had been nine months since I graduated high school, almost four since I got pregnant, and two since I moved into my own apartment. Of course, Pimmit and Desmond usually stopped by every now and then after work to say hi, but other times they'd just spend the night.

Come to think of it, I never really thought about the process that lead to them being free to come over so often. I mean, Pimmit's wife knew all along that he was a player, and knew that she'd eventually lose him to someone...just not a man.

And I'm pretty sure there's barely any love between Desmond and his wife. Or maybe there was so much so that she was willing to let him go to make him happy. Who knows.

"Listen Vee," Pimmit's hand reaches for the radio to shut it off. "You have to understand that I never meant to hurt you. I didn't know that you felt that strongly about being on the Field side of Track. But in all seriousness, if I can be a hundred percent honest with you, I can't tell you what I was doing that night."

"Why, Pimmit? Is it really a secret worth holding on to?" I shake my head mindlessly and look out the passenger side window. "You're willing to ruin our relationship right before I leave for college?"

"Victoria. Listen to me. I can't tell you what's going on, but I can tell you that I'm not sleeping with anyone else. You're right, I didn't see Marie, but I sure as hell didn't see anyone else either." Looking out the window he scratches his stubble. "Right now, my only priority is you, Desmond, and my future daughter. Nothing else."

"You swear you weren't with anybody else? Sexually, or even just...period?"

Pimmit's right hand raises, and his face is sincere.

"I swear to you, my baby mama, that I wasn't with anybody, sexually."

Good.

"Okay." I let out a deep breath and go to open the car door. But Pimmit stops me and turns me around to face him.

"You're glowing, darling." He swallows, and his eyes travel about my face. I begin to get creeped out. "I swear to you, that I, Rudy Pimmit, will do any and everything in my power to love and cherish you until you have my baby. And after that. And until I'm no longer walking on the face of the earth."

Oh god.

He was really fucking with my "Mama ain't raise no bitch" line.

"Rudy...I don't know what to say. Thank you."

We step out the car, the sexual tension high. We all sat down the night after we officially found out I conceived and made an agreement. No more sexual conduct between Pimmit and I.

Little things were fair ball, like butt slaps and forehead kisses, but there was to be no penetration of any kind. I figured it'd be for the best as to ensure that I didn't become dick-matized.

We broke that rule day number two.

For the rest of the day, I pondered as to what could possibly be so bad that he couldn't share with me. Or us for that matter. We were all a team up until when I have the baby, and until then, there were no secrets between us.

Until now.

While Desmond and I cooked dinner, I momentarily brushed up against him while getting the food out of the oven.

"Oops. Sorry, Desmond. Blame it on the baby bump, eh?"

Desmond chuckles, his green eyes wild with some unknown emotion.

"Or you could blame it on you just trying to bump me purposely." Placing a lid on whatever he was cooking, he turns to me. "You know, I haven't had much of a chance to connect with you lately. Sure, there was the fifty dollar donut haul, and the doctor's appointment, but we really don't do much...do we?"

"I figured that you really didn't want to be bothered with me," I walk over to him calmly and uncover the pan that he was stirring. "You make these weird little backhanded comments whenever you're over here, and I didn't want you unhappy...so I didn't say anything. I guess I have been ignoring you."

Grabbing me by my arm, his eyes encourage me to put the spoon down and pay attention to him.

I had seen this look in his eyes once before.

When we were in the gym alone, and I was doing those fifty push-ups.

It was the look of seizure. Of vulnerability.

"You just expect me to sit around all day and watch you walk around and flirt with Rudy all day?" He drags me into my room and locks the door behind us.

Not this bullshit again.

"See, this is a polygamous relationship. It may go 50/50 in other relationships, but in our relationship, it goes 33.333333/33.333333/33.333333. And you know what that means?"

"You want me to suck your dick too?"

"No!" He makes a disgusted face and looks back at me in surprise. "You really think I'm into you, don't you? I wouldn't fuck you if I could." He sits down and pulls something out of his pocket. "Here this is for you. I picked it up the other day after work."

I take the small box and look inside.

It was a ring.

A small promise ring gleamed up at me, the shine reflecting off my glasses and burning an ant somewhere in the vicinity.

"Desmond...James. James, you didn't have to. Honestly, I'll probably lose it."

"Don't worry, it's from Target anyway."

Wow.

"I don't care where it's from. I'd love it if it were a pipe cleaner twisted in a ring-like fashion," I reach over to give him a hug, his smile making this moment even brighter. "How much did you pay for this?"

"A measly four hundred. Not too much. Oh, and it's actually from Jared. "He puts it on my ring finger, twisting my hand to watch the diamonds catch the light.

I had no clue what the going rate for a promise ring was, but I did know that that $400 was my rent money.

I think I might pawn this.

Just kidding, gosh... chill.

"This ring is a promise. That I will always be here for you. And it is only to be replaced by your wedding ring in the future, you understand?"

I nod, still admiring the diamonds on my finger.

"Now, you're showing and we haven't started planning your baby shower!" Pulling out his phone, he goes to Pinterest and types in 'baby showers'. "Let's get some ideas rolling, sweetcheeks."